Other new features now available with VZ Navigator 5.0 include:

• Enhanced Points of Interest – Access to premium places of interest with detailed descriptions, clearly branded by Map Icons
• Traffic Crowd Sourcing – Opt-in to anonymously send real-time location and speed to the VZ Navigator traffic reporting service, allowing quicker notifications and improved accuracy for all VZ Navigator users
• Alerts for Other Road Attributes – Graphic notifications for tunnels, U-turns, traffic circles and toll plazas
• “Say it Mode” – Select BlackBerry® smartphones and Windows Mobile® handsets allow customers to verbally search for and update destinations

VZ Navigator 5.0 will roll out on select smartphones and handsets beginning today, including the BlackBerry Curve 8530 smartphone, LG enV TOUCH, HTC Touch Pro2 and Samsung Omnia. The service will be available on additional devices in the coming weeks. Current subscribers with VZ Navigator 5.0-capable devices will get a message the next time they launch the service, prompting them to upgrade to the new version. New VZ Navigator subscribers with select smartphones and handsets can download the service from Get It Now®/Media Center and VZ Start or can add the feature through My Verizon.

VZ Navigator is available for $9.99 a month for unlimited access or $2.99 for a one-day/24-hour use on certain devices. The monthly charge includes continuous updates to maps and points of interest, unlike traditional navigation devices and navigation devices built into automobiles that require annual upgrades to remain accurate. Download charges vary and airtime or megabyte charges may apply when browsing, downloading and using certain applications.

Verizon Wireless’ VZ Navigator service is a location-based service (LBS) application that utilizes location-based technology and real-time and historical information feeds. The new version of VZ Navigator offers customers the following features:

Traffic Integration
Customers in 75 cities can access routes that are calculated using both historical and real-time reported traffic information. Historical information allows customers to see on average whether the traffic is impacted by traffic lights, heavy traffic or school zones. Incident and flow information tells customers how traffic is flowing and includes details about reported accidents, disabled vehicles and congestion. The traffic tracking center continually monitors conditions along the customers’ routes, sending proactive alerts to drivers about conditions ahead of them on their chosen routes. Detour options allow users to compare estimated times of arrival and conditions before selecting a new route.

Local Movies and Events
Customers can now search for show times, critics’ ratings and other details for movies, concerts, plays, sporting events, and other social events based on the physical location of their phones.
3D Perspective View – Enhances navigation by displaying maps from angles customers would see through car windshields, making it easier to visualize turn-by-turn directions.

Gas Finder 
Provides customers with information on the location of gas stations close to their physical locations and even provides gas prices as reported by many gas stations in the area. Once a customer selects a station, VZ Navigator can also provide turn-by-turn directions to the selected gas station.

Weather
Provides current weather conditions and forecasts based on the physical location of the customer’s phone without manually inputting an address.

VZ Navigator (Version 4) is available today for $9.99 for unlimited monthly access or $2.99 for one-day use on select Get It Now-enabled phones. Airtime or megabyte charges and specific terms of use apply when browsing, downloading and using the application. Traffic integration is only available in certain areas.